I was a christian for 26 years and was used to praying through the hard times to feel better. Now that I don't believe there is a god out there in control of everything, I've had to come up with other ways to de-stress. Sometimes I just remind myself of how far I've come and what I've been capable of. Sometimes I take deep breaths. How do you de-stress when things are tough?
I used to do it through drink and music. The drink part doesn't work so well any longer. These days my time is spent between 2 of my computers (I have 3) and keeping them in top shape for music, movies, TV, etc. all around the world. They are my "projects." These days I'm greatly into IPTV and also using my router to block ads and totally change my DNS.
If a woman was around we might try sex. That needs a lot of experimentation and practice also.
I do believe in the power of massage. The power of human touch and muscular massage can really de-stress and get those feel-good transmitters and receptor going with the good stuff. Even an inexpensive massage at the mall can do that for you. It does not have to be a $300 spa day. (And I'm not talking about the happy-ending kind at the asian massage parlor, either.)
I meditate. I talk to people. I positively affirm what I most desire. I lighten up. I get massages. I practice self care. I take a nap.
Everything is just temporary. Glass of wine, temporary. Work out, temporary.
I just try to trick my brain into releasing the chemicals I want. Ever just hug somebody for like 30 seconds? Works amazing for killing stress.
Of course, that requires cooperation and advanced warning. You can't just like wrap somebody up for that long without their permission.
I head outdoors for a hike, or watch nesting desert birds from looking over our yard railing.
Photo I just took of a male curve-billed thrasher guarding his nest in a sagebrush thicket growing in desert area adjacent to our yard.
By the way this particular male comes to my sliding glass door at night to say "good-night" to me with a loud "WIT! WIT!" until I nod to him. His mate also calls to me from the thicket, and I can hear other thrashers all over the mountainside also echoing the "wit, wit" call before the male dives into the thicket and everything goes silent for the night.
Meditation is going to be the closest comparison to what you used to do. I suggest meditating.
Praying is basicly talking to yourself, if that gave you comfort before, talk to yourself, out loud if you have to. If it was th fantasy that was so attractive, close your eyes and let your mind wander, visualize what you will and work with it. The answers were always within you. reach out to others.
Draw. Go for a walk. Play video games. Drink. Get a massage.
It is thought that certain types of music works well. I lie down as if to meditate and listen to classical adagios such as baroque, Tchaikovsky and Chopin.
Ripping out weeds in my gardens is great during spring and autumn, winter= grabbing the axe, the steel wedges, the 10lb sledge hammer and the chainsaw (if needed) and splitting wood for the wood heater, it gets the blood flowing, the temperature up and I often imagine the face, etc, of some annoying person, problem, etc, being on the piece of wood.
As for the accursed Telemarketers/Survey Pollsters ringing my landline, well, answering and speaking in either German, Latin or some meaningless drivel language I've invented at the time usually annoys them and release my stress.
Btw, I 'de-stressed' quite well yesterday afternoon, split, cut and stacked 4 wheelbarrow loads of firewood, the axe, sledge-hammer, wedges and saw got an excellent work-out, now I'm waiting for the Election Results from the Federal Election next weekend and BOY will there be wood chips flying after they come out....LOL.
It could be Music or a movie. Or maybe a long Walk somewhere . It depends , sometimes a talk with a friend
I go out and take pictures, flowers, plants, mountains, animals.